Haven't seen much written on the Sony XB series, so thought I would add some very brief impressions.

Briefly auditioned the XB 700 at Sim Lim Square in Singapore this afternoon. Unfortunately I didn't have my Zune on me, so music was supplied by Sony (and could be coloured by the music they use to test devices).

Build looks interesting. It's light like an SA series and feels a bit fragile, however, the finish is pretty tight and the flat cables certainly add to the appeal of the unit.

Comfort was absolutely amazing. Warm on the ears, but soft soft soft. I think I could do a 3-4 hour stretch in these, no problems. Felt like they disappeared on my head. They were extremely light and felt secure (I have a narrow head, so there could be clamping issues for larger noggins).

Isolation was again, a surprise. I've read a few translated Japanese reviews that were a bit scathing on isolation. My wife was along with me and she could not hear the music once I put the cans on, so leakage was minimal to none. I could not hear her or the background din of a very crowded mall once the music started so in my opinion, I'd say they isolate well. Perfect for the office (which may be my preference with these cans).

Now, onto the sound. As I mentioned, I didn't have my own music with me, so I can't easily compare. They are bass heavy, but the bass isn't as sloppy as I was expecting it to be. In fact, if I had to compare the sound, it is similar to my Eggo D66 but a bit richer and fuller. Being closed the soundstage is much closer than the Eggo also. Overall, a non-fatiguing sound that enjoyed a lot. Definitely not analytical, more groove for your money though

I've mentioned the build before. I'm a fan, but a word of warning. These things are big! They certainly don't feel big, but these are not portable by any stretch of the imagination. For my small ears, they are also circum-aural, which is a huge plus.

Comfort is still king. I did 3 hours straight yesterday and they disappear. They do get a little hot, but nothing you wouldn't expect from pleather. The additional cushion adds to this somewhat.

I mentioned earlier that isolation was pretty good. I think I need to qualify this a little. There is some isolation, but it's about on par with my Eggos. Certainly good enough for the office, but if you're trying to drown out kids/annoying co-workers/low flying planes, well you might have to look elsewhere.

Sound wise, I've been pretty impressed so far. As I said, still burning in. They certainly have a good deal of warm, clear bass. I'm hoping it does tighten up just a fraction and I think they'll be a perfect set of cans for just relaxing and grooving.

Initially though, the sound directly out of the iPod was distinctly boomy. Probably a little too much for my taste. The Zune and the Thinkpad (using the Zune client) was much flatter, creating a much more pleasant sound.

Highs were not harsh, which was a surprise as I've had some less than great experiences with Sony's lower end models. I'm hoping there will be a little more detail open up over the next few hours.

The pads look like monster truck tires, sunday, Sunday, SUNDAY! Is that really metal on the hinge?

Haha nice call! Unfortunately, the cups aren't metal, but metal coloured plastic. The arms of the can look like they have a very thin veneer of metal (aluminum?) over structural plastic. The hinge/pin itself is plastic also.